Have you seen the new Izink pigment inks by Aladine? They are acrylic-based pigment inks that can be used on almost any surface. And, in the Jumpstart feature for our March/April 2017 issue of Cloth Paper Scissors, artist Steven Bland put ’em to the test! Check out Steven’s techniques below and get inspired to use Izinks to create something spectacular, and to road test more supplies in your studio.
Art Supply Experiments: Izink pigment inks by Steven Bland
Whenever I get a new product, I like to test it, using various techniques and substrates. I recently tried Izink by Aladine, an opaque, acrylic-based pigment ink that works on almost any surface, porous and non-porous. It can be used straight out of the bottle or mixed with water or alcohol, and it has a subtle shimmer when it dries that adds a bit of bling to any project.
Izink comes in a small bottle with a glass rod that allows you to drip color from the bottle onto your project. It is available in more than 25 colors that keep their brilliance when dry.
To see what Izink could do, I compared it to watercolor and acrylic paints on watercolor paper, white cardstock, glossy photo paper, and Yupo paper. Because Izink can be used with both water and alcohol, it is more versatile than watercolor or acrylic paint. Also, it dries with a subtle shimmer, which neither watercolor nor acrylic paints do. While it works well on the substrates noted above, Izink works best on cardstock and glossy photo paper, and it dries very quickly.
So what can be done with Izinks? Here is a short list of the many possibilities. I have tried these techniques with acrylics and watercolor, and I think Izinks offer superior results. Use these techniques as inspiration for your own product test runs.
Paint it on: Izink can be applied with a paintbrush, just like acrylic or watercolor paints, and brushes clean up well with just water. Here, I’ve used it to color in a stamped image, and you can see how strong the colors are.
Create a color spray: Mix a few drops of Izink with water or alcohol in a small mister, and spray it on cardstock, watercolor paper, glossy photo paper, or Yupo paper to create backgrounds for cards or art journal layouts. You can do this with watercolor or acrylic paint, but I’ve found that Izink mixes more thoroughly with water or alcohol, and the colors stay brilliant.
Use it with stencils: Sponge or spray Izink through a stencil to create backgrounds or page embellishments with vibrant color and a touch of shimmer. Here, I used Izink as a spray, incorporating several colors.
TIP: I found that spraying the back of the stencil with repositionable spray keeps it flat and helps prevent the Izink from running under the stencil (some spray may still creep underneath). If you’re worried about any color bleeding under the stencil, use a sponge to apply acrylic paint, since it’s thicker than Izink.
Stamp with it: Brush or sponge Izink directly onto a stamp. The final image will be impressionistic, and resemble watercolor.
NOTE: Because Izinks are very fluid, this technique will not work as effectively with detailed rubber stamps.
Mix with embossing paste: Mix a few drops of Izink into white embossing or texture paste and apply it to a project to add texture. Here, I applied it through a stencil, using a palette knife. The dried embossing paste has both color and shimmer, and I found that Izink mixes more easily with the paste than acrylic paint does.
Enhance an embossed image: Use Izink to create a colorful background on white cardstock; I sprayed two analogous shades. Place the cardstock into an embossing folder and run it through an embossing or die-cutting machine. To make the embossed design really pop, lightly apply a layer of gesso over the raised surface with a brayer.
Izink pigment inks can be used on all types of paper, but in my experiments I discovered that they also work equally well on metal, foil, Elizabeth Craft Designs Mylar® Shimmer Sheetz, acetate, and ceramic surfaces. The ink will not reactivate if a wet medium is applied over it, so it’s perfect for layering techniques. If you’re a card maker, paper artist, art journaler, or mixed-media artist, check out this product.
Steven Bland lives and creates in Oshawa, Ontario, Canada. He started scrapbooking in 2002 and has since extended his interests to include many forms of paper crafting and art journaling. He is a retired secondary school English teacher who now teaches art journaling and scrapbooking classes, and he also volunteers as an educator at his local art gallery. Steven lives by the philosophy that there are never any mistakes in art making, only opportunities for embellishment.
Learn more about Steven at youtube.com/user/stevenbland.
Ready for more? Find this article on Izink pigment inks and more in the March/April 2017 issue of Cloth Paper Scissors. Print and digital copies are available to purchase in our online shop.
